Process for tinning and cleaning soldering irons



40 provide a process whichwill Patented Aug. 5, 1939 series CLARENCE F. HAIvZILTON, F DETROIT, IJIIGHIGAN PROCESS FOR TINNING AND CLEAEJING SOLDERING IRONS N0 Drawing.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement 1n a process for tinning and cleaning soldering irons, and has for its ob ject the provision of a process for tinning and 5 cleaning soldering irons whereby a considerable saving will result from carrying out the process.

In the Well known method as now practised, it is customary, after heating the soldering irons to a desired heat, to rub the surfaces of the soldering iron over a block or brick of salamrnoniac. This causes considerable smoke and produces gases, so that it is quite unsanitary for the operator, and after prolonged work in this line, the health of the op- As the block of erator becomes injured.

salammoniac is'used a recess is formed in it,

and when the solder is applied to the iron for tlnning purposes, the solder flows into the 2 recess, and when the soldering iron is placed in the recess a spurting of the solder is effected, often injuring the operatonand particularly when it strikes the eye of the operator. Furthermore, a considerable loss of solder is brought about through the use of the present process as this solder, after tilling the recess, flows over the side of the block of salamrnoniac. In the present process also the salammoniac is not evenly distributed over the soldering iron, and the soldering iron is in. a state that when it is necessary to clean it for a retinning, considerable filing becomes necessary, and the adhering of the salammoniac to the soldering iron is such that '35 the files are worn quickly on account of the hardness of the material, so that where the process is extensively used, the file item is a considerable expense.

An object of the present invention is to avoid the disadvantages enumerated, and render the operation sanitary, safe, quick, easy, and an coo-- nomieal one, assuming an even and uniform distribution of the salammonlao over the soldering iron.

To this end I employ a solution of water and salammoniac, the solution consisting in volume of two-thirds water and one-third salammoniac, although it is believed apparent that the use of a greater or less amount Application filed January 23, 1928. Serial No. 248,978.

of salamnioniac'may be employed, the'presence of a less amount of salam-moniac requiring slightly longer to complete the process. In practical operation, however, the proportion of one-thirdsalammoniac and two-thirds water has proven inost'satisfactory.

in carrying out the process after the salam moniac has been dissolved in the water, the

soldering iron is heated to the'desired degree and thrust into the solution and quickly with} drawn. The iron is then thrust againinto the solution and quickly withdrawn for possibly three or four times, and at each withdrawal enough of the solution. will adhere, so that as the number of dips isr'epeated, eventually there is spread over the soldering iron in a uniform layer, a deposit of salamevenly, and the tinning process thus 00111 W pleted.

As the operator continues to use the solder- Y -80 in ron, heating it constantly between actual applications of it to the solder, it becomes de-' sirable to clean the iron, and this is done by thrusting the iron occasionally into the solu-' tion. This not only cleans thesolder, but '85 I assures the spreading of the solder over the c apper soldering iron quite evenly, and particularly when first tinning. After the tinnin has been completed, the dipping of the soldering iron into the solution shines and cleans the solder and removes all dirt." 7 While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of carrying out the process,

I desire to cover such variations and modifi-' cations of the process, as well as the solution with which the same is'performed, as come within the scope of the appended claims, and

naturally evolved from the disclosure here,- in made.

Having thus described invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

1. The process of tinning a soldering iron consisting in dipping the soldering iron in a heated state in a solution of salammoniac and quickly Withdrawing the same therefrom, and repeating this operation until a sufficient deposit of salannnoniac has been made on the soldering iron, and then applying to the contact surfaces of the soldering iron the solder.

2. The process of tinning a soldering iron consisting in dipping the soldering iron in a heated state in a liquid solution of salaminoniac and quickly Withdrawing the iron therefrom and repeating the dipping of the soldering iron until the desired deposit of salalnmoniac on the soldering iron has been obtained.

3. The process of tinning a soldering iron consisting in dipping the soldering iron While heated in a liquid solution of salalnrnoniac and quickly Withdrawing the iron therefrom, and repeating the dipping of the soldering 7 iron until the desired deposit of salannnoniac on the soldering iron has been obtained; and applying to the surfaces of the soldering iron thedesired coating of solder.

4. I The process of tinning a soldering iron consistingv in dipping the same While heated into a solution consisting of tWothirds liquid and one-third salainmoniac, and removing the v soldering iron quickly therefrom, and repeat ing the dipping of the soldering iron therein until a suflicient layer of salannnoniac has been deposited on the soldering iron, and

.then applying to the contact surfaces of the soldering iron'a layer ofsolder of desired tliiclrnessy 1 In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

CLARENCE F. HAMILTON. 

